Niagara University looks to year ahead

by jmaloni

Sat, Oct 2nd 2010 03:45 pm

Niagara University kicked off Vincentian Heritage Week with a special Mass on Tuesday. In the first picture, NU President the Rev. Joseph Levesque (center) joined with co-celebrants to offer the Mass. In the second picture, campus minister Kristina Schliesman is accompanied by a choir. (photos by Mike Freedman)

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by Tiffany Hyman

The Niagara University
administration is excited to reveal new information for the year ahead.
Upcoming events for the school year include new commercials, Alumni Weekend, a
concert by a popular band, a newly offered free bus service, renovations and
construction.

The
commercials for NU were taped two weeks ago. The uniqueness of these
commercials is they are completely different than other college commercials --
they were shot from a different direction. Instead of having high school
students read off lines, NU took a more natural approach. The commercials were
shot in a reality-type setting. Thirty high school students were picked at
random to tour the university and explore the campus. The students came from
schools around the area.

Assistant Director of
Public Relations and Manager of Online Content Mike Freedman expressed his
excitement about the commercials. "We are very happy these commercials are
airing. We have never taken a reality-type approach before, and are very
pleased they turned out outstanding," he said.

Freedman reported airings
have already commenced and will continue in Western New York, Syracuse and
parts of Pennsylvania.

Alumni Weekend will take
place Oct. 8-10. All graduates are invited, especially those who graduated in
the years ending with five and zero.

NU has many interesting
activities coming up. The Campus Programming Board, sponsored by the Niagara
University Student Government Association, offers various free events and
reasonably priced social, educational and cultural activities for students to
participate in. Two very popular events that sold out in just a few hours are
trips to the Buffalo Bills vs. Jets football game in October and the Buffalo
Sabres-Boston Bruins match-up in November.

Other popular events
include:

The Live Music Series
every Friday

The Save A Life Tour

Dinner and a movie

Mentalist Robert Channing

O.A.R. Concert

The O.A.R. Concert is on
Nov. 8 at the Kiernan Center beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and on
sale starting Oct. 4. The public can also buy tickets for just $20 starting
Oct. 16.

The CPB offers a new and
free bus service to students this year. "The NU Express" is a bus that
transports students to the Fashion Outlets Mall, Four Seasons movie theater,
Walmart, Wegmans, Tops Target, and Regal Cinema, all in the Niagara Falls
region. The bus also drives to the Lewiston area, and around the waterfront.

Mati Ortiz, the director of
Campus Activities, is enthusiastic for the bus service. "We have averaged
around 70 students each week who take the bus," she said. "It's great because
students don't have to pay gas money."

Ortiz also stressed how
essential it is for all students to get involved, both residents and commuters.
As a grad and commuter to NU herself, she knows the importance of meeting new
people and getting involved.

"I encourage new students
to join the Campus Programming Board. It's a great way to meet new people and
it helps outsiders to get connected," she said. She is also in the process of
hosting a commuter focus group to encourage commuters to get involved and to
ask how the CPB can be improved.

For more information about
upcoming campus activities, or the CPB, join the CPB Facebook page or visit
www.niagara.edu/cao.

Dr. Bonnie Rose, Niagara
University's executive vice president/vice president for academic affairs,
announced exciting new renovations. She spoke of three main renovations: Leary
Theatre and Clet Dining Hall, which have already been completed, and the new
science building, which she stated is "the No 1 priority," and set to start
construction in May 2011.

Dr. Judith Willard, the
assistant to the president for planning, announced the science building is set
for construction to start along the main parking lot. B. Thomas Golisano, owner
of the Buffalo Sabres, is donating $10 million to NU. The highly anticipated
building, called the B. Thomas Golisano Center for Integrated Science, will
offer many unique elements for students and faculty.

The science building will
be two-story, with ground-floor teaching labs for the chemistry, biology and
physics departments along with two classrooms on the same floor. The second
floor will consist of research labs and faculty offices with equipment rooms.
Other features include a reading and library area, a conference room and an
atrium. The building is expected to be completed by spring or summer of 2013.

Willard also announced
other upcoming renovations, such as the New York Power Authority warehouse, a
new athletic field and a new addition to the Castellani Art Museum.

The Elizabeth Ann Clune
Center for Theatre opened in the spring. The three-story theater was
refurbished and repositioned to ensure comfort.

Clet Dining Hall also
received an extreme makeover over the summer. William Baker, the general
manager of Clet Hall, discussed the renovations of the dining hall. A survey
was given to students in the spring asking how to improve services. Many
students asked for healthier options.

Since "student input is the
most important," as Baker says, changes had to be made to meet nutritional
needs. Along with changing the food stands and adding new grills comes a
platform area that offers extremely healthy options. A few of the new options
include:

Whole grain salads

Dried fruit

Fresh fruit and vegetables

Carrot and pumpkin seed
soup

Clet Dining Hall is working
for students with special dietary needs. Sugar-free drinks and gluten-free
items now are offered. Nutrition labels for all food will be available soon.

Niagara
University is located at 5795 Lewiston Road in Lewiston. For general
information, call 285-1212 or visit www.niagara.edu.